Spurn Migration Specials, September '26 - always special! 

Thu 29th Oct, 2026

We've been guiding our small groups at the mighty Spurn Bird Observatory for over a decade now - in spring and autumn, as stand-alone day adventures and as five-day residentials - and it's fair to say, this magical place never fails to deliver.

Pink-footed Geese arriving from Iceland © Mark Pearson

I've been fortunate to spend several weeks there each year, timed during the peak of those seasons to capitalise on what those who know me know makes my heart sing and eyes widen like dinner plates - incoming bird migration on the glorious Yorkshire coast.

My September week this year consisted of my Migration Specials a different group of six team members every day - and as ever, each day was different; even quiet days are entertaining at Spurn if you know where to look.

Yellow-browed Warbler from the Siberian forests © Mark Pearson

The first couple of days were dominated by pleasantly warm, settled weather, which didn't deter migration - plenty of European Robins, pipits and buntings arriving, warblers including a good sprinkling of Chiffchaffs and Yellow-browed Warblers, and a Siberian Lesser Whitethroat (which we found in Corner Field and was trapped soon after) among others.

Add on to that swirling masses of wonderful waders on the Humber and some interesting activity over the sea (Little Gulls, terns, skuas) and, while we didn't exactly coincide with fall conditions (yet), all was well with the world. One of the real attractions of guiding at Spurn is the amazing choice of habitats, all within walking distance - there's really no such thing as a quiet day there, and there's always a choice of places to shake things up.

Sun cream and t-shirts were the order of the days, and it could hardly have been more pleasant and relaxing (and full of birds, of course!). But despite the ongoing warm sunshine, the latter half of day four saw the wind gently swing into the south-east, as forecast - and like clockwork, birds immediately began to arrive. In the skies, Redwings, Song Thrushes, Skylarks, Chaffinches and Brambling began to trickle in; in the bushes, a few more warblers, the odd Pied Fly and Redstart...

... all good stuff, but with rain forecast for overnight (and the wind remaining south-easterly), hopes were high - the first such winds of the autumn proper, and all the expectation that comes with them. So, I was up and out pre-work and to the Warren, where within a minute or two, both Lapland Bunting and Little Bunting flew over - not a bad start! - with incoming finches, buntings, thrushes and pipits all raising excitement levels.

Eye-browed Thrush from a long, long way away © Mark Pearson

Would it tail off by 0830hrs, when I was to meet my team for the day at the Bluebell? Erm, no. The radio crackled and one of those classically dour, almost unbelievable Spurn messages came through - "Eye-browed Thrush, Church Field". Jesus! My clients barely had time to put their boots on before I was firmly frogmarching everyone the five minutes up the road, where any other lucky locals were similarly converging with great haste.

Pied Flycatcher in the churchyard © Mark Pearson

A great start to great Spurn day - one of those where you're constantly bumping into new arrivals in the bushes - Yellow-browed Warblers, Pied Flycatchers, over a hundred European Robins, dozens of Chiffys, Blackcaps and more - and then hearing / looking up to find incoming migrants pretty much wherever you are; we'd 110 Brambling, 25 Redpoll, two Tree Pipits, a few Siskins, 38 Song Thrushes, plus Barn Swallows, Skylarks, Grey and alba wagtails and much more.

Another fine week at one of my absolute favourite birding places - what a privilege to share it with so many people on my YCN tours, from right across the country. And then there was October.....

To be continued.....!

Book on Mark's 2027 Spurn Migration Specials HERE

Mark Pearson

YCN Birding & Wildlife Guide